The Natural Mom's Medicine Cabinet- by Robyn Thatcher

This woman needs no introduction, but for those of you who may not know her- allow me. My mother, Robyn, is one of the most amazing women you will ever meet. She is beautiful, witty, energetic, and a total joy to be around. She radiates fun and spunkiness (is that a word?). As kids, we would call her the "witch doctor" because she always had some herbal remedy to cure our ailments. But here's some background- we had very little money when we were growing up, and no health insurance due to my father owning his own business. My mother, having had 5 children in 8 years, had to find another way to keep us healthy and cure our illnesses. This woman has cured scarlet fever, mumps, multiple colds and flus, effectively treated asthma, and even spent two weeks nursing the dog back to health with enemas. Still when I am at her house, she will come at me with an herb and say "open", and I do it, knowing that she is treating whatever she has seen. The picture below is of MY herb drawer- which I owe all to my mother. And there are more- it doesn't all fit in there! I hope you find this post helpful :)

Hi all, it’s the maternal unit here…Aubrey’s mom.  She asked me to share with you my ‘Natural Mom’s Medicine Cabinet’.  I am eager to do so, as creating strong healthy children who grow up to choose to live strong, healthy lifestyles has always been important to me. In Ethics class, we are often asked to define ‘the good life’.  It involves happiness for sure, and purpose, without a doubt.  But how often do we fail to include feeling good, being physically healthy as part of that equation? Well, enough of my soap box.  Here are some simple, natural remedies that I have used for over 2 decades and even still to keep my kids healthy, get them well when sick, and avoid the doctor’s office as much as possible. I figured if humanity has used these for over two thousand years, long before over-the-counter meds and prescriptions, they were good enough for me.

The Basics:

Garlic oil capsules: Garlic oil is one of the only known VIRUS killers in nature. My little cherubs got a garlic oil capsule daily from about 4 months old to any time I can get them in my kitchen even now. Garlic works as a preventative, staving off flues, common head colds, streptococcus, vampires, and overbearing grandparents.  Give it at night, before bed, as the odor can be lethal. The kids got one/day, and when sick they popped 4 or so in a day, and enjoyed a healthy foot massage with the oil as well. I then covered their feet with warm socks before bed.  Garlic absorbs into the lymph and circulatory systems through the feet and begins killing infection all over.  Garlic also lowers serum cholesterol levels, and stimulates the circulatory system, so it’s just good for life in general.

Echinacea/Goldenseal liquid (caps for older children): this is an herbal tincture, usually in an alcohol base.  You can find it in a glycerin base which tastes better, but it is stronger in alcohol. One squirt at FIRST sign from the body that the immune system is on alert—that can be droopy eyes that have lost some sparkle (as a mom, you know), sniffles or runny nose, unusually tired, irritable, or just plain cranky. As soon as I saw cranky, my kids got garlic and Echinacea/Goldenseal and went straight to bed.  Think PREVENTION. Echinacea does not actually kill infection, but helps create runny mucus that traps bacterium and runs it out of the body.  So don’t fear the runny nose.  Blow, wipe, and let it run.  It’s removing the bad guys.  Goldenseal on the other hand, is a powerhouse.  Know as antibiotics in the herbal kingdom, it begins killing bacterium right away.  Countless times we avoided doctor visits and antibiotics by treating with garlic and goldenseal-- AT FIRST SIGN of trouble.

Lobelia:  I kept liquid and capsules on hand at all times. Liquid lobelia in low doses can stop a hacking cough or an asthma attack in about 2 minutes.  In high doses, it acts as an emetic, inducing vomiting in the event of poisoning.  The capsules are used for older sick kids, when coughing, aching, and restlessness are issues of illness, and for relaxation during high stress. It is a nervine herb, with direct affect on the nervous system, and pretty immediate. This is why it can halt an asthma attack so quickly.

Important Note: these traditional medicinal are all yucky to the taste buds.  They are astringents, the strongest of the herbal world for infection and immune system stimulation.  I encourage you to not lie about or hide yucky from your children. Illness feels yucky, and should, so that the human psyche desires and knows what it feels like to feel good. Children who know the difference between feeling yucky and feeling good tend to be sick less, and for shorter duration. They long to feel good, recognize it when it comes, and make better choices overall to avoid feeling yucky.  So I don’t hide pain or yucky medicines from my kids.  I let them feel the wrath of illness so they will stop, rest, treat themselves right and recover well, and then make choices like eating right, sleeping 8 hours/night, getting exercise and sunshine and hand washing  to avoid getting sick as much as possible.  I also let fevers reign, provided they stay below the 104 range.  The fever is the body’s first line of defense, alerting the brain there is an invader, and signaling the lymph and immune system fighters to attack. Bacterium and viruses are denatured (fatally wounded) by heat.  It also signals the human and the mommy that the body needs all the help it can get in the form of rest, water, nutrition, herbals, and probiotics (bifidophilus).

A few more, but will keep them short.  You can Google them for more information.

Aloe Vera juice- belly aches of all kinds

Charcoal capsules- indigestion, stomach flus, belly aches, food poisoning

Bella Donna -in homeopathic pellets for colic/irritability especially for babies and toddlers

Chamomile -any form—tea, caps, oil for sore throats, restlessness, coughs.  Also a nervine herb for stress

Bifidophilus- a multiple strain of acidophilus used to repopulate the healthy flora in the colon.  Studies show healthy flora maintains intestinal health and equips the body in immune defense.  ALWAYS follow a round of prescription antibiotics with a week of high doses of Bifidophilus to replace the flora (and thus restore the immune system) killed off by the antibiotics.

Arnica cream-a homeopathic rub for bruises and bumps.  Apply immediately and frequently. Circulates the affected area and reduces inflammation and pain, lessening the severity of the hematoma.

Onion/Honey cough syrup-made by slicing onions, drizzling with half a cup of honey, and simmering for 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated and treat as necessary for coughs, or just because the sick little one likes it.

Chewable Vitamin C- popped as often as desired during sickness or wellness, as too much only results in diarrhea, which probably needed to be cleaned out anyway. Vitamin C is a key nutrient for the immune and the vascular system, and it’s so easy to take.  I grind up half a pill and mix with water to make a mild eyedrop for sties, pink eye, and conjunctivitis.  

       

Licorice root- in liquid form, makes a yummy warm tea that kids really like.  I used to give a squirt into their mouths as a treat after taking the yucky stuff.  Circulator/energizer, for grown ups, too.

Essential oil of Lavender- kills infection topically, internally, and in the air. I usually have a tiny bottle with me at all times for cuts, bites, stings, mouth sores, or weird things that show up on the kids skin that you have no idea what it could be.

Thieves Oil- A mixture of 5 key essential oils, known for protecting the body and nasal passages from floating toxins in the air. Used by thieves to protect them while they plundered victims of the Bubonic Plague in France.  Fascinating story.  Look it up! We patted some on our chests and under our noses before entering airplanes, nurseries, or crowded places.

Enemas- performed with a bulb syringe for babies and children, or enema bag for older kids and adults. When suspecting dehydration, or refusal to take traditional medicinals, enemas are lifesavers.  Literally.  An enema will hydrate the colon far quicker than any hospital IV drip, and can bring down a dangerous fever in a few minutes.  You can put herbs, garlic, and bifidophilus in the water to get right where they need to be. ***If you plan on performing an enema, speak with a healthcare professional FIRST to ensure that it is necessary and done correctly. There are certain risks for small children****

There is so much more, but this is a good start if you are new to natural health and prevention.  You are the best doctor for your kids.  Save the professionals for serious disease and illness, when you have done all you can.  You will be surprised at how quickly the body responds to natural supplements, and can actually heal itself.  We all would be far better off by taking responsibility for our own health and learning how our bodies work.  Fascinating, really.  Enjoy the journey.

Oh, one more thing—stop by Lavendar Moon in Goodyear, or online at NaturesSunshine.com to get mommy some Nutricalm.  I lived on this multiple B complex loaded with herbs, bee pollen, and various nervine herbs while raising children.  Sometimes the nervous system gets fried, and we don’t respond to the joys and difficulties of parenting as we would like.  Nutricalm was a lifesaver for me, and my kids!

Yours in Christ,

Robyn

Here she is in all her beauty.... in case you were wondering! 

*****DISCLAIMER*****
We are not stating that this is the RIGHT way to treat illness, simply that it is the method that worked for our family. Please use your best judgement with your own family when choosing to try herbal remedies. You should always contact your pediatrician FIRST if you are concerned about your child's well being and let them know what you are giving the child. If they jump straight to prescribing and antibiotic and you do not like that, please find another pediatrician. There are so many different doctors in this great city, that there is no reason to not find a pediatrician that you love and trust. If you want someone completely natural, there is always the option of a naturopathic doctor. Please always use common sense when it comes to using herbs and homeopathy in your home!